The present invention relates, in general, to surveillance and, more particularly, to covert surveillance using a camera.
Although there is an overwhelming view that night lighting reduces crime, crime data does not support reduced crime rates with increased lighting. Since criminals need to see what they are doing, crime usually occurs in lighted areas. Hence, the majority of criminal activity occurs either in the daylight hours or in a region adjacent to artificial lights such as street lights.
Typically, street lights are frequently individually controlled to turn on and off by using electronic light sensitive devices that detect daylight. In order to provide sufficient exposure to daylight, the light sensitive device is generally contained within a protrusion or a distinct structure extending out from a housing of the street light lamp fixture. This extended structure can be positioned above, below and to the side of the lamp housing. Since criminals normally seek remote lighted spaces with limited or no surveillance to perform illegal activities, areas adjacent to street lights can be an excellent venue for performing surveillance. Thus, surveillance using a hidden security camera can provide a strong advantage for better capturing criminal activity including vandalism, stealing, illegal drug sales and the like.
Hence, there is a need to observe unfettered criminal activity by improving the stealth of security cameras in areas lit by street lights.